Track-laying machine.



No. 825,366. PATENTED JULY l0, 1906.

` C. O. WESGOTT.

TRACK LAYING MACHINE. APPLIGATI'ON FILED APR.9.1906.

2` SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'rus Nonms Psrsns co., wAsHlNcroN, n. c.

PATBNTED JULY 1o, 1906.

C. @.WBSGOTT. TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR,9196.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Heiney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES O. WESOOTT, OF PUYALLUP, vWASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOFRANK P. ROBERTS, OF PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON.

TRACK-LAYING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .rui-y 10,1906.

Application led AprilrQ, 1906. Serial No. 310,714.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CrLARLns O. l/Vnscorr, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Puyallup, in the county of Pierce andState of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovementsin Track- Laying Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to track-laying machines, and especially to themechanism for unloading the rails from the forward car of theconstruction-train and placing them into position on the ground.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-'-Figure 1 is a side view of the forward car of the construction-train,the near rail-carrier having been removed to show the inner side of thefar rail-carrier. Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine. Fig. 3 is across-section of the lower chord of the structure and its supportedrail, showing the sliding carriage thereon. Fig. 4 is a side viewthereof. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal cross-section of the end posts, showingthe forward extension in position for use. Fig. 6 is a similar viewshowing the forward extension folded back beside the fixed structure.Fig. 7 is a view of the rail-tongs.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

T refer to construct my machine with two simi ar mechanisms, one on eachside of the car, to handle the two rails of the track, though under somecircumstances a single set of mechanisms would be sufficient, the railsbeing swung by hand into their proper positions on the one side or theother. It will therefore be sufficient for a full understanding of myinvention if a single set of mechanisms be described as to itsconstruction and operation. Further, I have shown in the drawings thatthe mechanism is actuated by com ressed air, which can conveniently besupp ied by the air-pumps of the engine; but it is evident that if someother source of power is more convenient-such for instance, as steam,water, or electricity-these may be used, with such proper changes as maybe necessitated by the conditions under which they are worked, withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. i

Referring now to the drawings, the supporting structure consists of arear post 1 a high forward post 2, both secured to the side of thecar-deck 3 and supporting a horizontal bottom chord 4, an inclined topchord 5, and suitable bracing therebetween. To this main structure issecured the forward extension, which consists of a vertical post 6,secured to the post 2, a lower chord 7 on the same plane as the chord 5,an upper inclined chord 8, corresponding with the chord 5, and suitablebracing between the chords 7 and 8. The posts 2 and 6 are boltedtogether when the machine is in its working position, and they are alsosecured together by the hinges 9, so that when the bolts are removed theextension structure, consisting of the post 6 and chords 7 and 8, can beturned so as to stand beside the main structure (see Figs. 6 and 7) whenthe machine is not in use or is being transported.

The supported track 10 is preferably made of an inverted-T-shaped ironsecured to the lower chords 4 and'7 at intervals by the arms 1.1, whichhold it out therefrom on the inner side of the su porting structure. Thetrack 10 is also divided into two parts at the posts 2 and 6, said partsbeing firmly strapped together while the machine is in use by the piece12 bolted to each of them.

The rail-carriage consists of a pair of sliding brackets 13, securedtogether by the bar 14 under the track 10, and each of these brackets 13supports a Groove-sheave 15. The brackets 13 engage the inverted T-rail10 and are supported rereby and slid thereon, being held apart vby thebar 14, which I prefer to make about ten or fifteen feet long. To theinner end of the carriage is secured, through an eyebolt 16, the end ofthe holdback drawback ro e or cable 17. The two rail-supporting cab es18 pass over the sheaves 15 on the brackets 13 and hang downwardtherefrom to engage the rail to be laid and extend forward from thecarriage andare s liced together at a suitable point to form t e raisingand pull-forward cable 19. The cable 17 passes rearward from thecarriage and around the rear sheave 20, secured to the inner end of thetrack 10, and then to its actuating mechanismhereinafter described. Thecables 18 are each provided with rail clamps or hooks 21 at their lowerends adapted to engage the track-rail 22 and to be readily removedtherefrom when the rail 22 has been laid on the ties. The cable 19extends from IOL:

conditions and circumstances under which` the machine is operated. Ihave illustrated and prefer to use a mechanism deriving its power fromcompressed air. The pipe 24 is secured to the lower sideA of thecar-deck 3 and is provided with suitable coupling devices at its end toenable it to be readily connected to a pipe leading from the air-pump onthe locomotive. The pipe branches below the car into two parts 25, whichpass vertically upward near the supporting` structures on each side ofthe car. The pipes 25 then branch again into pipes 26 and 27, which leadto the two air-cylinders 28 and 29, respectively. The valves 30 and 31vin the pipes 26 and 27 are of any of the well-known forms by which thecompressed air may be led to the cylinder and by which the air may becut 0H therefrom and by which the air therein may be released. v Thevalves 30 and 31 are operated from the bridge or elevated platform 32,on which the operator stands and which extends over the car from onesuporting structure to the other at sufficient eight above the car notto impede the workmenvthereon. The air-cylinders 28 and 29 are providedwith pistons and with piston'- rods 33, which are secured to the slidingblocks 34, which acting in conjunction with the fixed blocks 35 reducethe travel of the said pistons. The size of the cylinders will thereforedepend on the airepressure in the pipes 26 and 27 and on`the number andarrangement of the sheaves in the sets of blocks 34. and 35. The cable17 is actuated by the blocks controlled by the cylinder 28 and the valve30, while the cable 19 is similarly actuated and controlled bythecylinder 29 and the valve 31. In the drawings the cylinder 28 is securedto the lower chord'l, while the cylinder 29 is secured to the upperinclined chord 5.

My invention is operated in the following vmanner: A number oftrack-rails 22 having been delivered to the `deck 3, the train is movedforward on the last laid rails to a point a few feet short of the endthereof. Then (the carriage having been drawn back until the clamps 21on the ends ofthe cables 18 are in about the desired position on therail 22) the clamps are secured to the rail 22. The valve 30 is closed,so that tliecable 17 will not move ineither direction. The valve 81 isopened to allow pressure to move the iston of the cylinder 29, so as ,tose arate tie blocks 34 and 35 thereof and pul the cable 19. This actionpulls the similarcables 18 and since the carriage .cannot move raiSestherail 22 until it 1s entirely free from all obstructions.

the cylinder 28,A thus slackening the cable 17, so that the strain onthe cables 18 and 19 Then the valve30 is set to release the air from, Y

from the cylinder 29 will pull the carriage forward on the supportedtrack 10 untilV the rail 22 hangs suspended in front of the car and inabout its proper position. Then the valve 30 is again closed to hold thecable 17 against movement, and the valve 31 is set to release vthe airfrom the cylinder 29, and thus to slacken on the cables 19 and 18., andthus lower the rail 22. As the rail is being lowered the workmen quicklyseize itand place its inner end against the rail last laid and its.outer end in the correct position on the ties. Then the clamps 21 areremoved fromthe rail and it is spiked down on theties, and'atv the sametime the valve 30 is opened to admit air into the cylinder 28, the valve31 having been closed. This draws the cable 17 and the carriage, andthus raises the clamps 21.. Then the valve 31 isagain put into thereleasing position and thecable 17 drawsv the carriage back on the track10 into position to take another rail.

Having described my invention, what` I claim is- 1. In a trackflayinglmachine, thei combi-1 na-tion of a car-platform, a supporting struc-yturel secured thereto and extending forwardv therefrom, a track securedto oneside ofsaid structure, a carriage sliding on said track, a cablesecured to the rear end of said carriage, means for pulling said` cablerearward, twof sheaves mounted atthe ends of said carriage, adouble-ended cable passing-over said sheaves and extending forward alongsaid track, rail gripping means secured to the `ends of saiddouble-ended cable, and meansfonpulling said double-,endedcableforward.,

2. In a trackelaying machine, the..`combi nation of a car-platform, asupporting struc,- ture secured thereto, an extension ofv saidsupporting structure hinged tothe forward end thereof and adapted toextend forward thereof and to be folded.back therebeside, and meanssupported by said structure whereby ails may be raised, transported,or'lowf ere 3. In a track-laying machine, the combi-l nationof acar-platform, a supporting struc. ture secured thereto and extending,forward therefrom, a track ysecured to one side of said structure, acarriagesliding on said track, ,two sheaves mounted at the ends of saidcarriage, a cable secured to' said carriage, a double.-

ended cablev passing over said sheaves andV IOO IIS

izo

nation of a sup orting structure having a and the horizontal position ofthe sliding car- 1o longitudinal trac i thereon, a carriage slidingriave.

on said track, a cable secured to said carriage7 fn testimony whereof IaliX my signature a cable engaging said carriage and depending inpresence of two witnesses.

therefrom to support a rail, means actuating said cables in oppositedirections, and means CHARLES O' WESCOTT' controlling said actuatingmeans whereby itnesses: their reactions one on the other will control iDIX H. ROWLAND,

the Vertical position of the suspended rail v M. A. VAN HOUSE.

